Trump’s Infrastructure Push Could Face a Bumpy Road

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President Trump will host House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at Camp David this weekend to plan the GOP’s 2018 agenda — and he’ll be pushing for a long-promised infrastructure package, The Hill reports.

Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, confirmed on Fox News that the White House will unveil a $1 trillion infrastructure plan this month centered on streamlining the permitting process for construction projects.

But the proposal could quickly run into roadblocks from both Republicans and Democrats. Some conservatives worry about increased government spending. Democrats, meanwhile, have been critical of Trump’s approach to funding an infrastructure program. Trump has in the past called for only $200 billion in federal investment with the rest of the $1 trillion coming from private investors as well as state and local governments.

“Democrats stand ready for a real infrastructure plan, not something that’s another giveaway to Wall Street, which is what we’re hearing,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) told The Hill. Democrats may also be loath to provide the president with a political win heading into the midterm elections.

As editor in chief, Yuval Rosenberg oversees all aspects of The Fiscal Times' website and email newsletter. His writing has appeared in publications including BusinessWeek, CNBC.com, CNNMoney.com, Fast Company, Fortune, Newsweek, Money and Time.